The influence of actual and perceived sexual orientation on diadochokinetic rate in women and men

Numerous studies have documented distinctive patterns of phonetic variation associated with actual and perceived sexual orientation. This investigation tested the hypothesis that these are the consequence of variation in speech-motor fluency. Gay, lesbian/bisexual (GLB), and heterosexual men and women participated in a diadochokinetic rate task. No consistent differences between GLB and heterosexual people in DDK rate were found, and DDK rate did not correlate directly with independently made listener judgments of sex typicality in speech. Results do not support the hypothesis that GLB speech styles are the consequence of motor control differences between GLB and heterosexual people.